Soybean storage bin equipment



Feb. 14, 1950 c. H. GRAHAM 2,497,406

soYA BEAN sToRAGE BIN EQUIPMENT Cfyyq/efffaam @E e2" v' v Feb c. H.GRAHAM K son BEAN STORAGE BIN EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8,1947 Feb. 14, 1950 c. H. GRAHAM son BEAN STORAGE BIN EQUIPMENT 4sheets-sheet s Filed May 8, 1947 C. H. GRAHAM SOYA BEAN STORAGE BINEQUIPMENT Feb. 14, 195o 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 8, 1947 Patented Feb.14,? i950 .soYEAN s'ronsl; EQUIPMENT". Y

Clarencef-H'lile` Graham, Champaign@ ,Ill;,= assigner;-

to-Swift &:Cicmpany, Chicago,-,1ll.=, a-.corporav tion of?- IllinoisfApplication May'S, 1947*,Serial No. 746,685

v3;(-3laima 11 A".[-he'-'present invention relates' to al deviceforloading a; bin orother large-container with particulate material" suchvasv grain'v or f beans; for example; -soya` beans,l and Imoreparticularly; to such a device in which the particulate materiali isthrowny forcibly Attrailf par-ts` of the-bin.`

Itr isd a primary 'objectv offthe present4 invention to provide e:loadern forl bins in which it willi be unnecessary to resort:`ton'ianual labor' to level off-*the ysurfaceJ ofthe' particulatematerial With `which the. bin `is being :filledy so as to insuref-thefilling of :the same to. its maximum capacity.'

Still* another obj ect"` oft thefpresent 'invention is to provide aloading apparatus off simple andeconomi'c construetiomwhich willlbe`@irelaltively light weight-and readily portable-from one bin toanother:

Still another and importar-1t-obiect` of i the present inventioI-il isto provide a- 'birr loadingdev-ice in which-'the particulate materialwith whichfthe b-rr isr4 being lled may'l beiorcibly-fei ected in anydesired direction into ftliebin `or^-e antainer;

Other andf further#objectsy of the instant-'invention-'will be readilyapparent from'ithed'etailed description :off 'the 4same'ltal'nenfinvconi unction'with the drawings, in which: y

Figure l: is a perspectiveview--showing the-:ap- `paratusrrimintedfoverthefmfanholefof :a bin;

Ei'gureA 2r is a: sectional :plan:- viewtakenwonz'the line'2;2fof'1iiguref3; l

Figure' 13 :a vertical sectional.' yiewi'taken, on the Aline ofiligurelookingL in the direction ofI the arrows;`

'Figure `1i.- isan enlarged :sectional view, taken onfzthe line {Q -4 ofFigure -2, illustrating-,particularlyf the means employedi foradusting-thefzdie -rectioniofidiseharge ofthematerialbeingloaded;

Figure I5 .isr asectfi'onalf planfviewtaken .on the line 55 :of4 Figure3 'looking .in v`the vdirection of the` arrows-and showing'in y.detailthel infipeller l portion of" 'the :apparatus:

readily be placed:thereover andxpositionthelloadingdevice for filling.the bin. Theiu-Dller edgefof the frame portionid. preferably slopesupward'lyxat the rear. thereof.- toi-,form av level-1 surziace uponwhich is mounted, preferably by Welding, a-Jplat.- form. 6-. oftrapezoidalconfiguration, which overhangs the. frame portion. Il;v Theonerhangng .portionvyof the platiorm is :strengthened by,` rib members1', securediitorthei platform. L61: and' iframe .portion 4 preferably bywelding TheY platform 6L is further strengthened. by ai -ledge member-8secured; preferably by welding, izo-the frontrsuriace'- or the platformx`6 andi opposed portions: of the frame-portion 4'.' n

Rising vertically-from the platforma is. a. metall'ieplate.y 9.: The`plate 91is preferably Welded ar-long vits lower edge to the platform.6: .andk is strengthenedby a rib member 1:0 of generally-triangularoutline which may also be Welded'ito the platform' 6Y and-:plate`menrber il.

The plate 93 servesias a standard uponwhich may-be mounted'dan electricmotor generallydesignated by ythenumeral lil -by means` of? metalAstra-ps.y l2.

From the electric motor: H depends a drive shaft I 3fwhichfis-connected; bya= lcomienticna'l neXible-couplng l4fto-a shaft t6which extends through an aperture KIT) `A`in the platform '-6 toa pointv'a substantial-distancebelowfthe framep ortion 4i. Surrounding theshaft lll'and' al'soiextend'- ingjthroughfthe aperture I frin-'contact'mg androytatable relationshipWittr thef-platforrn 'is ahol'-low shaft ortube If8.l Conventional lbail-bearings mare preferablymounted-1in'y the upperand il'ower endsof the-hollow sha-tt 1| 8'. toposition the shait -Iilcentrally of `the hollow-o shaft If8': and.'yprovide for relative rotation between the twoaboutwa Agiven axis.

Positioning of the hollow shaft I84 isfacoom.- plis'hedby me aneof-anladj ustablefclamp member 21'! *t0-Which is` rigidly.securedbyfweldingzor other suitable meansV .a pair ofastrengthening ribs.22 .extending:outwardly:andupwardly@in-:oppositeidiF rections from thevadustablemclamp .2st to? the :fra-ine portion Litowhichftheyxareirigidly. secured, alsospreferably bywelding.,Additionalfstrengthening of the shaft I8 is accomplished by means ofstrap members 23'.' r.cineqof the ends; which are securedto, theil-cvrer ends. of; strengthening ribs 22, andl the yothervends-oi?which,aziensccnred to `.the ledge :portion 8,;preferably brawelding operation.v The; clamp .2I isnm-ade adjustable by means .ofbolts.: 24,1;passing- `.th xif Jziih\- range, -por- `tions 25-andzshould be tightenedfto aa' deereefthai 55 While sufficient rigidityis imparted tethe'hlr low shaft I8 yet the hollow shaft is capable ofbeing rotated within the clamp for a reason which will be apparenthereinafter.

Surrounding the upper end of the hollow shaft I8 is a flat plate 21 ofcircular configuration having an upstanding circular ange portion 28contacting the hollow shaft I8, the plate 21 resting upon the platform6. The ange portion 28 is rigidly secured to the hollow shaft I8 toprevent relative rotation between the two by means of symmetricallyarranged set screws 29.

Cover members for the bearings I9 are provided by apertured plates 3Iand 32, the former being secured by bolts 33 to the upper edge of theflange portion .28 of the plate 21 and the latter being secured by bolts34 to the lower edge of hollow shaft I8.

Surrounding the upstanding flange portion 28 is a rotatable sleeve 36having outwardly extending lugs or flange portions 31. Sleeve member 36is conveniently positioned for rotation with respect to flange portion28 by the reception in `an annular recess 38 in the flange 28 of anannular bead portion 39 projecting from the sleeve 36.

Between the outwardly extending lugs or flange portions 31 of the sleeve36 is mounted by means of a nut and bolt 4I a vertically swinging handle42. The handle 42 has depending from the lower surface thereof a lugmember 43. In the outer edge of the circular plate 21 are provided aplurality of symmetrically arranged recesses 44, which are positioned toreceive the depending lug 43 of handle 42 as is clearly shown in Figure4. The number of these recesses is immaterial except that there shouldbe a sucient number that the space between any two adjacent recesseswill be within the range of movement of the lug 43.

Plate 21 may be secured in any desired position upon the platform 6 bymeans of a pair of oppositely disposed clamp members generallydesignated by the numeral 46. The clamp members 46 comprise a bodyportion 41 of L-shaped configuration having a recess 48 provided in theshorter leg of the L. Adapted to be received by recess 48 is a lugmember 49 rigidly secured to the platform 6 preferably by welding.

The longer leg of the L of clamp 46 is provided with an aperture I'intermediate its ends through which extends a -threaded bolt 52 to thetop of which may be rigidly secured a handle portion 53.4 A threaded nut54 is rigidly secured as by welding immediately below an aperture 56 inthe platform Sso that by screwing home of the bolt 52 therein theundersurface of the body portion of the clamp is caused to engage theupper surface of the plate 21 and rigidly clamp the same againstplatform 6'.

^ To the lower end of the hollow shaft I8 is rigidly secured an opentopped casing generally designatedv by the numeral 51 and comprising abottom portion 56 having an upstanding side wall 59 secured thereto asby welding. A spout portion 6I is formed in casing .51 by extending sidewall 59 outwardly in a straight line as shown at 62.

An adjustable lip 'element 6I may be hinged at th'e outer end of thespout 6I for a purpose to be described below. The lip may be set in anyposition throughout a wide range of angles by means of the adjustingstrut 62. This strut is pivotally connected to the lip and isconveniently anchored to the wall 62 by means of the threaded wing nutmeans 63'.

The rigid securing of the casing 51 to the hollow shaft I8 is preferablyaccomplished by means of symmetrically disposed web members 63 which aresecured at one end thereof by welding or other suitable means to thehollow Shaft I8 and at the other end thereof in a similar manner tobrackets 64 which are in turn rigidly secured as by welding to the sidewall 59 of the casing 51.

Rotatably mounted within the casing 51 is an impeller generallydesignated by the numeral 66, which comprises a hub portion 61 rigidlysecured by any suitable means to the lower end of the shaft I6. Rigidlysecured to the lower end of the hub portion 61 as by welding is a disc68 and rising vertically from the disc 68 and symmetrically disposed area plurality of blades or vanes 69 which may also be secured by weldingto the disc 68 and hub portion 61 with ends of the blades or vanesextending nearly to the side wall 59 of the casing 51 but allowing asmall clearance therebetween. It has been found that an impeller havingfour blades operates very efficiently in the instant device, but it isto be understood that any other convenient number of vanes may beemployed as desired. Also, it is preferred that the vanes be mountedtangentially with respect to the hub portion 61 but again it is to beunderstood that applicants invention is not limited to such aconstruction.

In order to kdirect the particulate material being transferred to a binor container into the casing 51 and onto the impeller disc 68, a chuteor funnel 1I is mounted by means of web members 12 with its mouthportion within the frame portion 4 and its spout portion directed intothe top of the casing 51, the web portions 12 being rigidly secured asby welding to both the frame portion 4 and funnel 1I.

From the above detailed description, the operation of the device will bereadily apparent. The particulate material to be loaded is directed bymeans of a spout, not shown in the drawings, into the funnel 1I andthence upon the impeller 66 within casing 51 from which the material israpidly and forcibly ejected in the direction of the spout 6I.

After the portion of the bin or container toward which the spout 6I isdirected has been filled to a desired degree, the spout-may be rotatedto any new position desired by rotation of the handle 42 while lug 43 isin registry with oneof the recesses 44 in the plate 21 as the upstandingflange 28 of plate 21 is rigidly secured to hollow shaft I8 to which thecasing 51 is in turn rigidly and non-rotatably secured. It is to beunderstood, of course, that before this rotation may be accomplished,clamps 46 will have to be loosened, the same again being retightenedwhen the de- 'sired positioning of spout 6I has been attained.

To transfer lug member 43 to the next succeeding recess 44, it is merelynecessary to swing the handle 42 upwardly until the lug is out ofregistration with the recess and then swingthe handle horizontally bymeans of rotatable sleeve 36 until lug'43 has reached a positiondirectly above this next succeeding recess at which time the handle maybe lowered so that the'lug 43 is received thereby. It 1 is onlynecessary, as pointed out above, that the recesses 44 be closeenoughtogether thatv they are within the range of movement of handle 42, whichin the form of the invention illustrated Iby thedrawings is limited onthe one hand by the standard plate 9 and on the other hand by one of theclamp members 46.

When this dlstrlbutingmeans is being'used in 'ai circular bin noproblem'. arises; asrttoi evenf. dise tribution c of 4the:particulatematerial.: over-fthe `Een- 'tire s'urfaceofl therbin. In=.somecases;however, it yis desirable atoisfpread-v the materialithroughout a'.differently,I shaped. storage Ameans as. a'. railway can' on theV like.To i effect' proper controlI of, the

streamfiowing fromthe distributing `device when thisfisznecessary,l the-adjustable lip 6I' is brought intplay. During normal use;` the liphangs downwardly from the-floorof'spout 8.1i and; does notzcomein`contact. with the material, but`V when itfisadesired to'project thematerialfarther away from. the; distributing. means, aswhen loading;v abox car,y the;4 lipis lifted up yand.fixedlinsuchfpoe sitioncby meansof; the 4strut B23 so that aftergleav.` .ing thezloor. of.spoutrlthestream of material isgturnedupwardly.- By archinggthestreaimup moreson less, the.- materialiI canbe throwngto themorefdistant parts of. variousV other types .ofistorage binsfrom asingle llingfhatch.

f Thus; itis seen Vthat byther use ofthe apparatus ofI the presentinvention a bin ,or; container may be loaded so that theV materialAwithv which Yit` is filled;` is; provided 1 with a substantially level gsurface, andinomanual laborV whatever is necessary to trim-off-,theupstandingconeof materialwhich .vtouldjA be present if; the materialwere merely added;l dirrectlythrough the manhole or opening Uffthefbn. v

An. alternate formof device for shifting the spout isshown in Figuresand"1 wherein use-is madeofa ratchet mechanism. With this means, the upperendof the tube or; hollow Shaft I8 is splinedior preferably,aseparatecollarfi maybe integrally4 assembled Iaround the .upper end,`of the tube, I8, the collar 8 0- being provided with verticallyextending slots 8l, which correspond to the splineslots,mentioned..abov.e., The collar 80 rides upon the upper surface` ofplateG and aids in the support of tube or shaft I 8; If'a1 splined shaftI8 is to be used, a separate support collar must be locked to the shaftI8 inposition to cooperate with the upper surface. of plate 8.

Witheither the splined shaft or collar 8.0,.the rotatable sleeve 36' isused to support thehv handle .42; so thatits inner end canbemovedagainst theputersurface of the slotted collar 8jorouter surface of thesplined'portion of the shaft I8. This inner end of the handle 42 carriesa spring pressed pawl 82 which is adapted to fit into the slottedarrangement at the end of shaft I8 and the handle may be turned to drivethe shaft in a given direction of rotation to turn spout 6I in thedesired direction as described above.

The pawl82 of the ratchet mechanism is beveled on the trailing side sothat the handle can be quickly turned back to engage in a followingnotch when turning the shaft I8. The pawl 82 is also mounted in handle42 so that it can be reversed 180 to drive the shaft I8 in the oppositedirection if desired. For this purpose, the pawl 82 is provided with aknob 83 that rides in a pair of slots 84 extending in a directiongenerally longitudinally of the handle on each side, the slots 84 beingconnected at theirV outer ends through a cross slot 85.

When using the ratchet turning device, the pawl 82 engages in the slotsat the upper end of the shaft I8 to drive the shaft in one direction andas the handle is returned to get another hold on the shaft, the knob 83reciprocates on one or the other of the slots 84 as the pawl rides overthe tops of the teeth. In order to reverse the direction of driveagainst shaft I8 with handle 42, the knob 83 is retracted to the outerend of thefratchet device. YEach-latch-,includes .aspring' pressedplunger or bolt element 92;V thatf1tS...in to any slot `in front ofthe-.latchandeach latchelement is integrallvxed.-to-plate 6. toholdshaft Iimmobilewhen one. of the boltsis engaged .in alslot.`

The latches .and 9 .I are loffset ,with .repectto the spacing ofl theyslots; circumferentially around shaft4 I8,such, for. example, that whenthe bjolt of. latch 90 isengaged, ina slot, the latchls positioned niidway` between .two other. slots.,

TheA p1unger s.92.v of the latches are each pro;- vided with knobs 93.operating-in slots .94"an'dof course the plungersmust be heldlretracted. Wh'ile shaft .ljisbeingturned to positionspoutil'. To assistin holding the bolts retracted inthe latches against the pressure oftheir springs., ai. slide member 95. is provided; 'Ilfiesliden is'mountedjto have limited oscillatory movement; around, the periphery ofthe slotted portion. of. shaftA I8 and suitable cam surfaces 98 areformed'onthe slide which cooperate with knobs 93to li'ol'dth'e' boltsretracted. The cam surfaces` are relieved" at' 91 topermit knobs 931toreciprocate inwardlyl when it is,desired to lock shaft I8. A handle 98`fmjay be provided' on slide951 to shift it into position topengage orrelease knobs 93 as desired;-

Thev latching means isA of courseV situatedlon plate 6 in a position tobe readily accessible and yet not to interfere with thfeV freemovement?. of the ratchet device. lt is also apparentr thatgthe ring orstrap 3 6 must be undercut'for an appregciable distance adjacent thevlatch meanssothat itgcanbe rotated freely over the latching'd'evices'.

' The above described .ratchet andv` latching means may besubstitutedinwhole or in-part'for the means best shown in Figures 2 andV 3, forrotating; shaft I8 to. position spout' 6I". The ratchet` device is muchmore rapid in operation as compared with the clamping arrangement shownin Figures 1 to 4; however, the latter is a most serviceable heavy dutydevice.

It has been found in practicey that if the particulate material beingloaded is of an abrasive character, the inner surfaces of the walls ofcasing 51 should be hardened by special treatment at least at the pointsof greatest contact. As an alternative method, inserts of Very hardmaterial may be provided at these points.

The above shows one embodiment of this invention, but many modificationsthereof may occur to those skilled in the art which will fall Within thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A compact and self-contained unit for loading bins with grains,beans, and the like, comprising: a rigid frame adapted to be supportedin an opening at the top of the bin to be filled; a funnel member havinga large generally circular inlet opening and a smaller generallycircular outlet opening, said openings being disposed in spaced andapproximately parallel planes and being also eccentrically arranged withrespect to each other, said outlet opening being positioned under theinlet opening with the center of the outlet opening lying in a verticalplane approximately tangent to the periphery of the' inlet opening; saidfirin'el member extending" downwardly from the frame and into the tp ofthe bin; a rotatably monted distributing spout supported from said frameimmediately below the outlet opening of said funnel member; said spouthaving a generally horizontal floor and being vshaped to' direct thegrain and the like outwardly 'from the funnel member in a horizontaldirection;

a motor mounted on the frame and being positioned above the plane of theinlet opening to the funnel; and said motor being generallyconcenytrically arranged above the outlet opening of the "held fixedwith the latch while the grain is being driven out horizontally from thespout after the motor becomes energized.

2. A compact and self-contained unit for evenly loading a bin with grainor the like through a manhole in an upper portion of the bin, said unitincluding a frame adapted to be supported on the bin outside theperiphery of the manhole, an offset chute supported from the frame andadapted to extend down into the bin through the manhole, anddistributing means including an impeller rotatable about an axis, saidimpeller being adapted to extend within the bin through the manhole withsaid axis extending adjacent one side of said chute Where the latterpasses through the manhole, and power means outside the bin andoperatively connected to said impeller along said axis, said chute beingso shaped and positioned that the lower end thereof is above saidimpeller and substantially evenly spaced about said axis with theportion of the chute through the manhole being only slightly smallerthan said periphery whereby the -without materiallyv obstructing theflow of grain -which may be fed through the manhole.

3. A compact and self-contained unit for evenly loading a bin with grainor the like through a manhole in an upper portion of the bin, said unitincluding a frame adapted to be supported on the bin outside theperiphery of the manhole, an oifset chute supported from the frame andadapted to extend down into the bin through the manhole, a shaft, a tubeabout said shaft, said shaft being rotatable with respect to said tube,said tube being rotatable with respect to said frame, said shaft andtube being mounted from said frame in such a position that they willextend substantially vertically within the bin through the manhole andwill be adjacent one side of the chute where the latter passes throughthe manhole, an impeller on the lower end of the shaft and rotatabletherewith, power means operatively connected to the upper end of theshaft to rotate the shaft and impeller, a casing about a portion of saidimpeller and dening a grain outlet, said casing being attached to androtatable with said tube, said chute being so shaped and positioned thatthe lower end thereof is above said impeller and substantially evenlyspaced about the axis of said shaft with the portion of the chutethrough the manhole being only slightly smaller than said peripherywhereby the impeller may be rotated to distribute the grain from theoutlet without materially obstructing the ow of grain which may be fedthrough the manhole, and means above the manhole for rotating said tubeto position said outlet to distribute grain in a desired direction.

C. HALE GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 614,891 Reynolds Nov. 29, 1898834,331 Skillin Oct. 30, 1906 853,870 Ellerton May 14, 1907 1,763,396Howland June 10, 1930

